The 2011 Noa Tenuta Presti e Pegni is a blend of 40% Nero d’Avola, 30% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon (aged for 12 months in barrique). The 70-hectare Tenuta di Presti e Pegni estate is located in the Alcamo/Monreale area of western Sicily with compact clay soils at 250 meters above sea level. It is home to the estate’s boldest red grapes varieties. You can feel the territory-driven density of the wine thanks to those unmistakable aromas of wet clay and iron that pop from the richly concentrated density of the wine. The baritone bouquet is redolent of exotic spice, dark fruit, prune with a touch of cheese rind or pecorino as well. The texture is fleshy and opulent with soft, chewy tannins. Drink 2014-2020. Diego and Alberto Cusumano are two of the handsome faces that I most associate with the modern Sicilian wine renaissance. When Sicilian wine really started to pick up speed two decades ago, the Cusumano brothers were an important part of the “Rat Pack” (including Tasca, Donnafugata and Planeta) at the tippy top of the production pyramid. They are tireless promoters and hardworking managers. They’ve definitely quieted down over the past five years or so, choosing to focus on recent land acquisitions (including 15 hectares on Etna) and new winery construction. Always a strong presence in domestic markets (it is one of the top-consumed brands in Sicily, for example), I get the sense that Cusumano is now shifting focus to foreign markets (they recently signed with Terlato Wines as their U.S. importer). I’d also like to report on a big upswing in quality, especially among Cusumano’s entry-level wines. The addition of the vineyard names to the front label is also new. Importer: Terlato Wines, www.terlatowines.com